BIRMINGHAM eye specialists are heading off on an African adventure to save the sight of hundreds of third world diabetics.

The team from Heartlands Hospital, in Bordesley Green, is setting off to the desert villages of Ethiopia at the end of the month.

Consultant diabetologist Paul Dodson, digital technologist Andy Mills and screeners David Roy and Rachel Garrett will set up the first specialist retinal screening centre of its kind in the African country.

They are introducing Ethiopian medics to specialist equipment at the Black Lions Diabetes Centre, in Addis Abbaba, and testing the first patients during a week long trip.

Birmingham patients with diabetes are usually closely monitored by medics so it is rare for them to become blind.

But in Ethiopia, the same advanced medical equipment is not available, meaning thousands go unnecessarily blind.

Mr Dodson, based at Heartlands Hospital's retinopathy screening centre, said: "Once all of the equipment is up and running, the doctors can begin to screen diabetes patients, diagnosing retinopathy and hopefully saving the sight the sight of many diabetes sufferers in Ethiopia.

"We are so pleased to have this link with the Black Lions Diabetes Centre and we will be working with them in the future on research and improvements in diabetic retinopathy screening."

Diabetic retinopathy screening uses digital technology to look for signs of diabetic eye disease, which is called retinopathy.

This is present in 50 per cent of diabetics and can cause severe visual impairment and blindness.

Once the disease is detected through screening, it can be treated through laser surgery, preventing any further loss of sight.

The relationship with Ethiopia has seen a medic from the Black Lions Diabetes Centre, Dr Raja Ahmed, visit the Birmingham hospital to received training in using specialist digital equipment.